LONG BEACH — Razor clam digging is open today through Saturday at four Washington beaches.
Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks are open during morning hours, except digging will be allowed until 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Low tides are at 9:42 a.m. (-1.4 feet) today, 10:33 a.m. (-0.8 feet) on Friday and 11:27 a.m. (-0.2 feet) on Saturday,
Dan Ayres, coastal shellfish manager, said the extra hour of digging on Saturday is due to the late timing of low tide.
Saturday also is a coastwide beach cleanup day so diggers may encounter visitors with plastic bags as well as clam shovels.
Diggers will need a 2011-12 license. The old license expired on March 31.
Additional digging days are anticipated in May, Ayres said.
DALLESPORT, Wash. — A free boat safety inspection will be offered from 7 to 11 a.m. April 30 at Columbia Hills State Park in Klickitat County.
A group of federal, state, local and tribal agencies will provide the inspection plus two others this spring and summer.
The park is at milepost 85 on state Highway 14, about two miles east of The Dalles Dam.
The other inspections, both between 7-11 a.m. will be July 9 at Lepage Park, five miles east of John Day Dam at exit 114 on Interstate 84, and Aug. 6 at Maryhill State Park. The park is just east of the Biggs Junction bridge where U.S. Highway 97 crosses the Columbia River.
Gorge hiking talk May 13
Guidebook author Craig Romano will offer a free program on hiking in the Columbia River Gorge beginning at 6 p.m. May 13 at the Clark Public Utilities community room, 1200 Fort Vancouver Way.
His presentation will be part of a Washington Trails Association dinner.
“Day Hiking Columbia River Gorge’’ was released by The Mountaineers Books earlier this month. Romano has another book, “Backpacking Washington,’’ due for release in May.
Mount Hood Meadows will be open four extra days in May.
Officials announced the ski area will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 7-8 and May 14-15 before closing for the season.
Three chairlifs — Cascade Express, Mount Hood Express and the Buttercup beginner lift — will operate. Tickets will be discounted to $49.
Ski and snowboard adult lessons, children’s lessons, day care, equipment rentals and the retail and demonstration center will operate. Two restaurants will be open.
Meadows will close daily operations after May 1. With the four extra days in May, the ski area will have had a 167-day season.
Snow depth at the ski resort was 135 inches on Wednesday
